Ground system for vehicle data distribution

ABSTRACT

Techniques for delivering data or information to a vehicle include a ground based data distribution system that has a ground based determination engine and port networks, and is communicatively connected to access networks. The ground based determination engine determines a content of the data to be delivered to the vehicle, and/or determines one or more predicted locations of the vehicle. The ground based system causes the data to be delivered to the one or more predicted locations, and, at a particular predicted location, the delivered data is transferred to the vehicle, such as by using an information distribution device that is on-board the vehicle. Determination of the data content and of the one or more predicted locations may be performed while the vehicle is en route or is at a port. Data delivery may occur while the vehicle is en route or is at a port.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The instant disclosure generally relates to distributing data to avehicle. More particularly, the instant disclosure generally relatesdistributing data to a predicted location of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND

Known systems and methods for delivering data or information to avehicle often initiate data transfer only after a vehicle has arrived ata port, terminal, station or dock. Such systems and methods typicallyare disparate and operate independently for different types of data orinformation. For example, after an aircraft has arrived at a gate, cabinpersonnel may manually load a new suite of movies and otherentertainment media onto a hard drive on-board the aircraft. Maintenancepersonnel may retrieve in-fight data for the completed flight, and mayinitiate software updates to various devices within the aircraft. In thecockpit, pilots for a subsequent flight of the aircraft may request andobtain flight charts, plans and maps. Furthermore, in addition to themultiplicity of different personnel and means of data transfer formultiple types of data, such systems typically require the vehicle to beparked or docked before data retrieval and transfer may be eveninitiated, which prolongs the time during which the vehicle is notavailable for travel.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

An embodiment of an information distribution system for distributinginformation or data to a vehicle may include a plurality of computingdevices in communicative connection. At least some of the plurality ofthe computing devices may correspond to respective ports from whichvehicles may depart and at which vehicles may arrive. At least some ofthe plurality of computing devices may have respective connections forcommunicating with an on-board data distribution device fixedlyconnected to the vehicle. At least one computing device of the pluralityof computing devices may be configured to receive, via a respectiveconnection, information from the vehicle, and may be further configuredto cause data to be routed to another computing device that correspondsto a predicted location of the vehicle. In some cases, the data iscaused to be routed to more than one computing device each correspondingto a different location. The data to be routed to the one or morepredicted locations and/or the identities of the one or more predictedlocations may be determined based on the information received from thevehicle.

An embodiment of a method of distributing information to a vehicle mayinclude receiving information corresponding to the vehicle while thevehicle is en route between an origination point and a destinationpoint. The method may also include determining a destination port atwhich the vehicle is to arrive, where the destination port is includedin a plurality of ports at which vehicles may arrive and from whichvehicles may depart. Additionally, the method may include causing datato be routed to the destination port. The content of the data to berouted and/or a prediction of the destination port may be determinedbased on the received information corresponding to the vehicle. In somecases, the data may be caused to be routed to more than one destinationport.

An embodiment of a method of distributing information to a vehicle mayinclude receiving, at a first computing device, data from a secondcomputing device in communicative connection with the first computingdevice. The first computing device may correspond to a destination portat which the vehicle is predicted to arrive, where the destination portis included in a plurality of ports at which vehicles may arrive andfrom which vehicles may depart. The content of the received data and/orthe identification of the predicted destination port may have beendetermined based on information received by the second computing devicewhile the vehicle is en route between an origination point and adestination point. The method may further include transmitting, by thefirst computing device, the received data to an on-board datadistribution device fixedly connected to the vehicle after the vehiclehas arrived at the predicted destination port.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example ground based information or datadistribution system for distributing information or data to a vehicle;

FIG. 2 illustrates examples of various vehicles may communicate with theground based information data distribution system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an example method for distributing data or information to avehicle; and

FIG. 4 is an example method for distributing data or information to avehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Although the following text sets forth a detailed description ofnumerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the legalscope of the description is defined by the words of the claims set forthat the end of this patent and equivalents. The detailed description isto be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possibleembodiment since describing every possible embodiment would beimpractical. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented,using either current technology or technology developed after the filingdate of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of theclaims.

It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined inthis patent using the sentence “As used herein, the term ‘______’ ishereby defined to mean . . . ” or a similar sentence, there is no intentto limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication,beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not beinterpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in anysection of this patent (other than the language of the claims). To theextent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent isreferred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning,that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader,and it is not intended that such claim term be limited, by implicationor otherwise, to that single meaning. Finally, unless a claim element isdefined by reciting the word “means” and a function without the recitalof any structure, it is not intended that the scope of any claim elementbe interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixthparagraph.

Any or all of the contents of the present disclosure may operate inconjunction with any or all of the contents of the disclosure ofco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/675,194 entitled“PUBLISHER AND SUBSCRIBER MESSAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD” and filedconcurrently herewith, the contents of which are hereby incorporated byreference in their entirety. Additionally or alternatively, any or allof the contents of the present disclosure may operate in conjunctionwith any or all of the contents of the disclosure of co-pending U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/675,200 entitled “VEHICLE DATADISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND METHOD” and filed concurrently herewith, thecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentirety.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example ground based information distributionsystem 10 for delivering data to a vehicle, such as vehicles 12 a-12 c,and in particular, for delivering data to be distributed to the vehicle12 at a predicted location while the vehicle 12 is en route. The groundbased information distribution system 10 is also referred tointerchangeably herein as a “ground based data distribution system,” a“ground based data system,” a “ground based information system,” a“ground based system,” or a “ground system.” The system 10 is “groundbased” as a majority of the devices included in the system may beessentially terrestrially located, e.g., the devices may be respectivelydisposed within structures that are connected to the ground (e.g.,within structures that are not air-borne or water-borne).

The ground based system 10 may include a network 55 via whichinformation, data and/or communications are delivered to predictedlocations, and/or are delivered to vehicles 12 at the predictedlocations, in an embodiment. The network 55 may be a public network, aprivate network, or some combination of a public and a private network.The network 55 may be a communications network, a data network, a packetnetwork, or some combination thereof. The network 55 may be a hostednetwork, or may be a peer-to-peer or other type of ad-hoc network.Indeed, the network 55 may use any known networking technology todeliver data to vehicles. Generally, the network 55 may include aplurality of computing devices that are in communicative connection.

The network 55 of the ground based system 100 may be communicativelyconnected to one or more networks 58 a, 58 b, 58 c, each of which may belocated and/or hosted at a respective port, terminal, station or waystation, dock, bay, garage, vehicle maintenance location, or otherlocation at which vehicles may be parked or stationed for a temporaryamount of time. Such locations are generally referred to herein as a“port.” Generally, a port may be a designated location from whichvehicles may depart and at which vehicles may arrive. Examples of portsmay include airports, helicopter pads, harbors, railroad stations,hospitals, shipping terminals, bus terminals, fueling stations, vehiclemaintenance or service areas, military bases, ports or aircraftcarriers, and the like. A vehicle 12 may originate a travel route or aleg of a travel route from a particular port, and a vehicle mayterminate a travel route or a leg of a travel route at another port.Some ports may be intermediate stops along a vehicle's travel route. Avehicle 12 may be stationed at a port to load or unload passengers,cargo, fuel, equipment and/or supplies. In FIG. 1, the network 58 acorresponds to port P1, the network 58 b corresponds to port P2, and thenetwork 58 c corresponds to the port P3. As such, the networks 58 a, 58b, 58 c are referred to here-in as “port networks.” In an embodiment,port networks 58 a-58 c may provide vehicles 12 with access to theground based system 10 when the vehicles may arrive and are located atthe port environs. Although FIG. 1 depicts the ground based system 10 asincluding three port networks 58 a-58 c, the ground based system 10 mayinclude any number of port networks, such as one port network, two portnetworks, or more than three port networks. In some cases, a single portor location may be serviced by more than one port network. In someembodiments, one or more port networks 58 a-58 c may be excluded fromthe ground based system 10, but may still be in communicative connectionwith the ground based system 10, for example, if the ground based system10 and a particular port network are operated by different providers.

Port networks 58 a-58 c may be private networks, public networks, orsome combination of private and public networks. Generally, a portnetwork 58 a-58 c may include one more computing devices which arecommunicatively connected and that are situated in and around the port.A port network 58 a-58 c may include a single computing device or mayinclude multiple computing devices arranged in a local networkconfiguration. In some embodiments, at least some of the computingdevices included in the port network 58 a-58 c may also be included inthe network 55. When a vehicle 12 has arrived at a particular port andis parked, stationed or moving about the port (as denoted in FIG. 1 byvehicle 12 c), the vehicle 12 c may communicate with the respective portnetwork 58 c via a wireless or wired connection 65 d. For example, thevehicle 12 c may communicate with the port network 58 c using a Wi-Fi™,WLAN (Wireless Local Access Network), or other type of wirelessconnection. In another example, the vehicle 12 c may communicate withthe port network 58 c using a wired connection, such as a wired Ethernetor T1 connection.

In an embodiment, the vehicle 12 c may communicate with one of the portnetworks 58 a-58 c using an on-board data distribution device 60 c. Theon-board data distribution device 60 c may include a plurality ofinterfaces to a plurality of bearers or communication channels, such asthe bearers 65 a-65 d illustrated in FIG. 1 (which will be described inmore detail in a later section). In an embodiment, at least one of thesebearers may include a wireless communication channel 65 d to a portnetwork 58 c. In another embodiment, at least one of the bearers mayinclude a wired connection to the port network 58 c (not shown). Theplurality of interfaces included in the on-board data distributiondevice 60 c may be fixedly connected to the vehicle 12 c, in anembodiment. For example, the plurality of interfaces may be included inone or more Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) or other entities that arefixedly attached to the vehicle 12 c. A description of embodiments ofthe on-board data distribution devices 60 a-60 c included respectivelyin the vehicles 12 a-12 c may be found in the aforementioned co-pendingU.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/675,200 entitled “VEHICLE DATADISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND METHOD.”

In an embodiment, the vehicle 12 c (and the vehicles 12 a 12 b, whenthey respectively arrive at ports) may detect and communicate with theport network 58 c using a wireless protocol. For example, the wirelessprotocol may be the messaging protocol described aforementionedco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/675,194 entitled“PUBLISHER AND SUBSCRIBER MESSAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD,” however, otherwireless communication protocols (either public or private) that enablediscovery and communication may be used. In an embodiment, the vehicle12 c (or its on-board data distribution device 60 c, in someembodiments) and a computing device of the port network 58 c maydiscover and authenticate one another and may establish apublisher/subscriber relationship to transfer data between the vehicle12 c and the port network 58 c. Data may be delivered to the vehicle 12c from the port network 58 c and may be received from the vehicle 12 cby the port network 58 c while the vehicle 12 c is stationed at the portor otherwise is communicative connection with the port network 58 c,e.g., while the vehicle 12 c is parked, taxiing or moving about the portlocation.

On the other hand, while a vehicle 12 is traveling a route or isotherwise moving between an origination point and a destination point(as denoted in FIG. 1 by the vehicles 12 a and 12 b), and is not near orin communicative connection with any port, the vehicle 12 maycommunicate with the ground based system 10 using one or more accessnetworks 62 a-62 c (denoted in FIG. 1 by the vehicles 12 b and 12 c).Generally, an access network 62 a-62 c may include one or more computingdevices which are communicatively connected and that are situated in andaround a location at which one or more access point antennas aredisposed. An access network 62 a-62 c may include a single computingdevice or may include multiple computing devices arranged in a localnetwork configuration. In some embodiments, at least some of thecomputing devices included in the access network 62 a-62 c may also beincluded in the network 55. Any suitable number of access networks 62a-62 c may be included in the ground based system 10 so that vehiclesmay be in communicative contact with the ground system 10 whilsttraveling their respective routes, in an embodiment. In someembodiments, one or more access networks 62 a-62 c may be excluded fromthe ground based system 10 but still may be in communicative connectionwith the ground based system 10, such as when respective providers ofthe ground based system 10 and of a particular access network aredifferent business or organizations.

Typically, the access networks 62 a-62 c coupled to the ground basedsystem network 55 may support wireless communications, and may utilizeany suitable wireless technology. For example, the access network 62 amay be an air-to-ground (ATG) network that utilizes an EVDO (EvolutionData Optimized) protocol to communicate with a vehicle 12 a over one ormore designated channels 65 a (e.g., the 849-851 MHz and 894-896 MHzfrequency bands). The access network 62 a may include a computing device68 a that is in communicative connection with the network 55 and withthe channel(s) 65 a to support data transfer between the vehicle 12 aand the network 55. In another example, the access network 62 b may be asatellite communications network, such as a satellite communicationsnetwork that utilizes the K_(u) band (e.g., 12-18 GHz), the K_(a) band(e.g., 26.5-40 GHz) or other band suitable for satellite datacommunications (denoted generically in FIG. 1 by the reference 65 b).The satellite access network 62 b may include a computing device 68 bthat is in communicative connection with the network 55 and with thecommunication channel(s) 65 b to support transfer of data between thevehicle 12 a and the network 55 using the satellite communicationchannel(s) 65 b.

In yet another example, the access network 62 c may be a terrestrialaccess network that utilizes cellular or mobile wireless protocols(e.g., TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), GSM (Global System forMobile Communications), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access, LTE (LongTerm Evolution), and/or other mobile communications technologies) overcorresponding bands to transfer data between the ground based system 10and terrestrial vehicles, e.g., the vehicle 12 b. In an embodiment, aterrestrial vehicle 12 b may include a respective instance 60 b of anon-board data distribution device via which data transfer onto and offof the vehicle 12 b is effected. The terrestrial access network 62 c mayinclude a computing device 68 c in communicative connection with thenetwork 55 and with the communication channel(s) 65 c to supporttransfer of data between the vehicle 12 b and the network 55.

Although FIG. 1 illustrates the ground based system 10 as includingthree access networks 68 a-68 c, the ground based system 10 may includeor be in communicative connection with any number of access networks,such as one access network, two access networks, or more than threeaccess networks. Moreover, as described above, each access network 62may utilize any known wireless communication or data technology totransfer data to and/or from a moving vehicle 12. As such, at least someof the access networks 62 a-62 c may be of different types (e.g.,satellite, terrestrial access, ATG, Wi-Fi, etc.). In some embodiments, adata or information transfer session or call may be handed off from oneaccess network 62 a to another 62 b, such as in a manner described inthe aforementioned co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/675,200” entitled “VEHICLE DATA DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND METHOD.”Hand-offs may be performed between access networks of different typesand using different communication technologies, in an embodiment.

The ground based information distribution system 10 may include one ormore gateways 70 to other networks 72. Generally, a gateway 70 mayinclude one or more computing devices in communicative connection. Insome embodiments, at least some of the computing devices included in thegateway 70 may also be included in the network 55. The other networks 72in communicative connection with the gateway 70 may include, forexample, the Internet or some other public network. The other networks72 may alternatively or additionally include one or more privatenetworks. In an embodiment, a user may access the ground based system 10via a computing device 75 or other user interface that iscommunicatively connected to the gateway 70 via the one or more networks72. For example, the user may access the ground based system 10 at thecomputing device 75 via a website that may be hosted in the network 55and accessed via the gateway 70. User access to the ground based system10 may be controlled, and may require granting of access permission. Inan embodiment, a user 75 may access a private account stored in andadministered by the network 55.

Further, the ground based system 10 may include one or more data storagedevices 78. The one or more data storage devices 78 may utilize anyknown data storage technology, such as data banks, data warehouses,servers, data farms, cloud storage, and the like. At least a portion ofthe data storage devices may be accessed (e.g., read, write, modify,delete, add, etc.) by computing devices included in the network 55. Inan embodiment, one or more of the port networks 58 a-58 c, the accessnetworks 62 a, 62 b, and/or the gateways 70 may access at least aportion of the data storage device(s) 78. The data storage devices 78may store data corresponding to each of the vehicles 12. For example,the data storage devices 78 may store one or more user accounts, whichmay correspond to a particular vehicle, a particular fleet of vehicles,a particular customer or system user, a particular company, and otherdesired types of accounts. Additionally, the data storage devices 78 maystore information or data for each vehicle and/or for each system userfor remote loading onto vehicles 12 or off-loading from vehicles 12. Inan embodiment, the data corresponding to the vehicles 12 may includeuser preferences for selecting data transfer bearers, such as describedin aforementioned co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/675,200entitled “VEHICLE DATA DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND METHOD.” The one or moredata storage devices 78 may be redundant, or may otherwise provide adesired level of security and data integrity.

Still further, the ground based system 10 may include one or morecomputing devices 80 including a ground based determination engine 85 incommunicative connection with the network 55. In an embodiment, theground based determination engine 85 may comprise a set ofcomputer-executable instructions that are stored on a tangible,non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as a memory, one ormore memory devices, one or more data storage devices, and the like.

The computer-executable instructions of the ground based determinationengine 85 may be executable by a processor to determine a content ofdata that is to be delivered to a vehicle 12, and/or to determine orpredict a location or port at which the vehicle 12 will arrive ortraverse and to which the data is to be delivered, in some embodiments.In an embodiment, the ground based determination engine 85 may receiverequests for data from remote users 75 and from one of more vehicles 12.The ground based determination engine 85 may obtain or otherwisedetermine the requested data (e.g., by accessing the one or more datastorage devices 78 and/or by querying other databases via other networks72). In some scenarios, the request of the remote user 75 or the vehicle12 may include the content of data that is to be delivered.

Additionally or alternatively, the ground based determination engine 85may determine a predicted location of the vehicle 12 to which the datais to be delivered. For example, the ground based determination engine85 may determine a location at which the vehicle 12 is predicted toarrive or traverse. In some embodiments, the predicted location may be aport at which the vehicle 12 is predicted to arrive, e.g., a predicteddestination port. The predicted destination port may be one of aplurality of ports at which vehicles may arrive and from which vehiclesmay depart, for example. In another embodiment, the predicted locationmay correspond to a location of an access network 62 a-62 c with whichthe vehicle 12 is predicted to be in communicative connection whilst thevehicle 12 is en route from an origination point to a destination point.In some cases, the ground based determination engine 85 may determine aplurality of ports to which the data is to be delivered, e.g., a set ofports in a geographical vicinity, all of the ports included the groundbased system 10, or a selected subset of ports included in the groundbased system 10. For example, if a vehicle is one of many vehicles thatare being re-routed to a regional area due to weather conditions, theground based determination engine 85 may determine that the ports of theregional area are to receive the data.

In an embodiment, the ground based determination engine 85 may cause thedata to be delivered to the predicted location(s) for transfer to thevehicle 12. For example, if a predicted location is a predicteddestination port, the ground based determination engine 85 may cause thedata to be delivered to a respective port network 58 a-58 c, and theport network 58 a-58 c may cause the data to be transferred to thevehicle 12 after the vehicle 12 has arrived at the port. The data may bedelivered to the port network 58 a-58 c corresponding to the predicteddestination port prior to the vehicle's arrival at the predicteddestination port, in an embodiment. In another example, if a predictedlocation is a predicted location of vehicle traversal, the ground baseddetermination engine 85 may cause the data to be delivered to arespective access network 62 a-62 c, and the access network 62 a-62 cmay cause the data to be transferred to the vehicle 12 whilst thevehicle 12 is in communicative connection with the access network 62a-62 c. The data may be delivered to the port network 58 a-58 ccorresponding to the predicted access network 62 a-62 c prior to thevehicle's traversal, in an embodiment. As such, the ground based system10 may serve as a store and forward network for data that is to betransferred onto and off of vehicles 12.

As discussed above, the computer-executable instructions correspondingto the ground based determination engine 85 may be executable by aprocessor. The processor may be included in the one or more computingdevices 80 of the ground based system 10, in an embodiment. The tangiblecomputer-readable storage medium on which the ground based determinationengine 85 is stored, though, may or may not be included in the one ormore computing devices 80. For example, the tangible computer-readablestorage medium on which the ground based determination engine 85 isstored may be included in the one or more data storage devices 78 or insome other data storage device or devices that are accessible to thenetwork 55, in an embodiment. In any case, the tangiblecomputer-readable storage medium may be accessible to the processor thatis included in the one or more computing devices 80 to execute theinstructions for the ground based determination engine 85.

The one or more computing devices 80 may be included in the network 55,for example. In an embodiment, the one or more computing devices 80 mayinclude at least one of the computing devices 68 a-68 c included in theaccess networks 62 a-62 c. In an embodiment, the one or more computingdevices 80 may include at least one of the computing devices included inthe port networks 58 a-58 c. In an embodiment, the one or more computingdevices 80 may include at least one gateway computing device 70. In anembodiment, the one or more computing devices 80 are excluded from boththe access networks 62 and the port networks 58.

Turning to the vehicles 12 a-12 c illustrated in FIG. 1, each of thevehicles 12 a-12 c may be owned and/or operated by an individual, oreach of the vehicles 12 a-12 c may be owned and/or operated by acompany, organization or governmental entity. Each of the vehicles 12a-12 c may be one of a fleet of vehicles, in some cases. In someembodiments, at least one of the vehicles 12 a-12 c may be used totransport passengers who pay for or otherwise are granted passage on thevehicle. In some embodiments, at least one of the vehicles 12 a-12 c maybe used to transport executives or staff of a company or organizationand their guests. In some embodiments, at least one of the vehicles 12a-12 c may be used to transport live or inanimate cargo such aspackages, mail, equipment, goods, products, live stock or other animals,plants, scientific samples, organs for transplant, and/or other types ofcargo. In some embodiments, vehicles 12 may transport both people andcargo. Furthermore, although FIG. 1 depicts the vehicles 12 a and 12 cas aircraft and the vehicle 12 b as a truck, the techniques andprinciples described herein equally apply to other types of vehiclessuch as automobiles, busses, trains, boats, ships, barges, subway cars,helicopters, ambulances or other emergency vehicles, military vehicles,other air-borne, water-borne, or land-borne vehicles, and vehicles thatare suitable for space travel.

FIG. 2 illustrates examples of various types of vehicles 108 a-108 e,each of which may include a respective instance 110 a-110 e of theon-board information distribution system or device 60 via which one ormore communicative connections may be established with the ground basedsystem 10 of FIG. 1. Each instance of the on-board informationdistribution system 110 a-110 e may be in communicative connection withat least one of the one or more access networks 62 a-62 c or with one ormore port networks 58 a-58 c of the ground based system 10, as denotedby the dashed lines. At any given time, a particular instance of theon-board information distribution system 110 a-110 e on a particularvehicle may be in communicative connection with a different network 62a-62 c, 58 a-58 c than is another instance of the informationdistribution device on another vehicle. For example, the on-boardinformation distribution device 110 c on a ship 108 c may be incommunicative connection with the ground based system 10 via a satellitecommunication channel 65 b and corresponding satellite access network 62b, while the information distribution system 110 b on a train 108 b maybe in communicative connection with the ground based system 10 via acellular communications channel 65 c and corresponding terrestrialaccess network 62 c.

Returning to the ground based data distribution system 10 of FIG. 1, oneor more different types of users may access or use the ground based datadistribution system 10. One type of a user may be a passenger on avehicle 12, such as a customer paying for travel over a route on acommercial airline, ship or train, or an executive traveling on acompany jet. Such users are referred to herein as “end-users.” Anothertype of user may be an operator or crew member who is on-board thevehicle during its journey, such as a pilot, an engineer, a flightattendant, a crew member responsible for some aspect of vehicleoperation or maintenance, a captain, and the like. Such users arereferred to herein as “crew members.” Yet another type of user may be anagent of an organization or entity that owns or leases the particularvehicle 12 to provide travel, shipping, emergency, or transportservices, such as an airline, a rail company, cruise line, a package orcargo delivery company, the military, a governmental agency, and thelike. Typically such an organization or entity has purchased or leasedone or more instances of the on-board data distributions devices orsystems 60 for use in the vehicles that it owns or operates. Such agentsof the organization or entity are referred to herein as “system users.”A system user may be, for example, an administrator or InformationTechnology (IT) professional associated with the organization or entity.Lastly, a type of user may be an agent of the provider, producer ormanufacturer of the ground server system 10 itself. Such users arereferred to herein as “system providers.” In some cases, a systemprovider of the ground server system 10 may also be a provider of theon-board data distribution devices 60. Typically, a system user has abusiness or other agreement with the system provider of the ground basedsystem 10 so that the system user, its agents, and its equipment may usethe ground based system 10.

In an embodiment, the ground based system 10 may determine one or morepredicted locations of a vehicle 12 to which data is to be delivered. Inan embodiment, the ground based determination engine 85 included in thecomputing device 80 of the ground based system 10 may determine orpredict the one or more locations. The predicted location may be, forexample, a pre-determined destination port, such as indicated by anoriginal, planned travel route of the vehicle 12. In another scenario,the predicted location may be a destination that was not included in theoriginal, planned travel route, such as when a vehicle 12 experiencestechnical difficulties, weather delays, or other unexpected events thatforce the vehicle to stop at an interim destination. The predictedlocation may, in another example, correspond to a location of an accessnetwork 62 a-62 c with which the vehicle 12 is predicted to be incommunicative connection during a particular time period whilst thevehicle 12 travels along a route. In yet another example, the groundbased determination engine 85 determines more than one predictedlocation to which the data is to be delivered, such as when the engine85 does not have sufficient information to narrow a prediction to asingle port, or when conditions are so variable (e.g., due to weather,congestion, and the like) that it is possible for the vehicle 12 toeventually arrive at any one of a plurality of locations. In anembodiment, the ground based system 10 may determine the predictedlocation(s) after the vehicle 12 is en route, that is, the vehicle 12has departed an origination port to travel over a route, but the vehicle12 has not yet completed the route.

Additionally or alternatively, the ground based system 10 may determinea content of the data that is to be delivered to the predicteddestination or port, in an embodiment. In an embodiment, the groundbased determination engine 85 included in the computing device 80 of theground based system 10 may determine the content of the data that is tobe delivered. Examples of data or information content that is to bedelivered may include vehicle operation manuals; charts, maps and otherinformation needed for subsequent travel of the vehicle 12; updated ornew travel routes or plans; media content such as news, entertainment,safety procedures; data that is directly transmitted by the vehicle 12and is to be forwarded, and other types of data. In an embodiment, theground based system 10 may determine the content of the data based oninformation received from the vehicle 12 and/or received from a remoteuser 75. The ground based system 10 may obtain the requested data, suchas by accessing the data storage devices 78 or by communicating withanother network 72. In some scenarios, the information received from thevehicle 12 and/or received from the remote user 75 includes therein atleast a portion of the data that is to be delivered.

The ground based system 10 may cause the data to be routed over thenetwork 55 to the predicted location. For example, the ground baseddetermination engine 85 included in the computing device 80 of theground based system 10 may cause the data to be routed over the network55 to a predicted location, in some cases, by communicating with thenetwork 58 a-58 c, 62 a-62 c at which the information from the vehicle12 was received. In an embodiment, the ground based system 10 may causethe data to be routed to a port network 58 a-58 c corresponding to thepredicted destination of the vehicle 12. In some scenarios, the data mayarrive at the predicted destination port before the vehicle 12 arrives.Upon the vehicle's arrival though, the port network 58 a-58 c may causethe data to be delivered to the vehicle 12.

In another example, the ground based system 10 may cause the data to berouted over the network 55 to a predicted access network 62 a-62 c. Insome scenarios, the data may arrive at the predicted access network 62a-62 c before the vehicle 12 is in communicative connection with thepredicted access network 62 a-62 c. Upon establishing communicationswith the vehicle 12, the predicted access network 62 a-62 c of theground based system 10 may cause the data to be delivered to the vehicle12, in an embodiment.

An illustrative but non-limiting scenario follows to demonstrate theseand other features and capabilities of the ground based system 10. Inthis example scenario, after a vehicle 12 a has departed an originationport and is en route to a destination port but has not yet arrived, dataor information may be transmitted from the vehicle 12 a to the groundbased system 10. For example, the data may be transmitted from anon-board data delivery device 60 a of the vehicle 12 a over a selectedcommunication channel (e.g., channel 65 a) to a respective accessnetwork (e.g., access network 62 a) and to the ground based system 10.The ground based system 10 may determine, based on the data receivedfrom the vehicle 12 a, a destination at which the vehicle 12 a ispredicted to arrive. In some embodiments, the ground based system 10 maydetermine a predicted time of arrival. For example, the ground basedsystem 10 may default the predicted destination and time of arrival tothe originally planned destination and time of arrival which may bestored, in an embodiment, in the data storage device 78 or in anotherstorage device that is accessible by the ground based system 10. Thedefault predicted destination and/or time of arrival, though, may beupdated while the vehicle 12 a is en route. For instance, while thevehicle 12 a is en route, the vehicle 12 a may transfer data via theaccess network 62 a that indicates a change in destination port or time.In some embodiments, the data may include exact information, such as theidentity of the changed destination port. In some embodiments, theground based system 10 may infer the change from the data, such as whenthe vehicle 12 provides an updated average speed, and the ground basedsystem extrapolates an updated time of arrival based on the updatedaverage speed.

In some embodiments, the ground based system 10 may determine a contentof the information or data, and may cause the determined data to bedelivered to the predicted destination port. For example, while thevehicle is en route, if a crew member sends a request to have the mostup-to-date newscasts available and ready to upload at the vehicledestination, the ground based system 10 may obtain the most-up-to-datenewscasts (e.g., from the data storage device 78 or from some otherstorage device accessible to the ground based system 10), and maydeliver, via the network 55, the most up-to-date newscasts to a portnetwork 58 a-58 c corresponding to the predicted destination. Uponarrival at the destination port, the vehicle 12 (or an on-board datadistribution device of the vehicle 12) may upload the most up-to-datenewscasts from the port network 58 a-58 c onto the vehicle 12.

In some embodiments, a remote user (e.g., a user at the computing device75) may transmit or transfer, to the ground based system 10, informationor data corresponding to the vehicle 12. The user 75 may transmit ortransfer the data while the vehicle 12 is stationed at a port or whilethe vehicle 12 is traveling en route between an origination and adestination. For example, the remote user 75 may be a system user, andmay request the ground based system 10 to deliver charts, maps, andtravel plans related to a subsequent leg of travel of the vehicle 12. Inanother example, the remote user 75 may indicate updates to preferencesfor selecting bearer or communication channels for use in data transferto and from the vehicle 12, such as described in aforementionedco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/675,200 entitled “VEHICLEDATA DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND METHOD.” Other types of remote userrequests may be possible. A remote user 75 may indicate whether or notthe information is to be transferred to the vehicle 12 upon its arrivalat a port, or whilst the vehicle 12 is in transit.

Upon reception of the user request, the ground based system 10 maydetermine or verify one or more predicted location(s) of the vehicle 12.The ground based system 10 may obtain the data or information that is tobe delivered to the vehicle 12 at the predicted location, and may routethe data or information to a port network 58 a-58 c or access network 62a-62 c corresponding to the predicted location. For example, the groundbased system may obtain charts, maps and travel plans corresponding tothe subsequent leg or route (e.g., from the data storage device 78 orfrom some other storage device accessible to the ground based system10), and may deliver, via the network 55, the charts, maps and travelplans to a port network 58 a-58 c corresponding to the predicteddestination. In another example, the ground based system 10 may obtainupdated user bearer selection preferences either directly from the user78 or from a data storage device at which the user has stored theupdated preferences (e.g., data storage device 78) and may deliver, viathe network 55, the updated user bearer selection preferences to a portnetwork 58 a-58 c corresponding to the predicted destination. Uponarrival at the destination port, the vehicle 12 (or an on-board datadistribution device of the vehicle 12) may upload or transfer the dataor information from the port network 58 a-58 c onto the vehicle 12, in amanner such as previously discussed.

Thus, the ground based system 10 may receive data generated by a personor device that is on-board the vehicle 12 while the vehicle 12 istraveling en route from an origination to a destination, in somescenarios. In some scenarios, the ground based system 10 may receivedata or requests for delivery of data corresponding to the vehicle 12from a remote user, either while the vehicle 12 is en route or while thevehicle 12 is stationed at a port. In some scenarios, the ground basedsystem 10 may receive data generated by a person or device on-board thevehicle 12 or while the vehicle 12 is stationed at a port. Based on thereceived data, the ground based system 10 may determine a predictedlocation of the vehicle 12, and may determine a content of the data tobe delivered to the location. The ground based system 12 may obtain thedata and may deliver the data to a port network 58 a-58 c or to anaccess network 62 a-62 c corresponding to the predicted location.

In some embodiments, the ground based system 10 may cause the data to bedelivered to another location other than and/or in addition to thepredicted location of the vehicle 12. For example, the ground basedsystem 10 may deliver the data to be stored at a data storage device 78or at some other storage device that is accessible to the network 55.The ground based system 10 may deliver the data to be viewed at acomputing device 80. For example, real-time monitoring data of thevehicle 12 collected during vehicle operation may be delivered(sometimes periodically) from the vehicle 12 to the ground based system10 for storage in a log at the data storage device 78, and/or or fordisplay on a user interface at the computing device 80 or at a remoteuser interface 75.

The data or information received at the ground based system 10 from thevehicle 12 may include, in an embodiment, information about vehicleoperating state or real-time data. The information about the vehicleoperating state or real-time data may correspond to operational data,status, and/or performance of the vehicle 12 and/or of equipment anddevices thereon. Such information may be collected during passage of thevehicle 12 over a travel route, and may be obtained from navigation,monitoring, or other equipment on-board the vehicle 12. For example,vehicle location and travel monitoring data (e.g., latitude, longitude,altitude, speed, direction, etc.) may be received by the ground basedsystem 10. In another example, weather or traffic conditions observedalong the travel route may be collected and transferred to the groundbased system 10. In an embodiment, the data or information received bythe ground based system 10 may include vehicle health and/or trendmonitoring data, which may be later used in aggregation with data fromother travel routes of the vehicle 12 and/or with data obtained fromother vehicles. Vehicle safety data may be received by the ground basedsystem 10, in an embodiment. For example, the data or informationtransferred from the vehicle 12 while the vehicle 12 is en route mayinclude “black box” or crash survival memory unit data for a particularsegment of time.

The data or information transmitted by the vehicle 12 a to the groundsystem 10 may correspond to live or inanimate cargo that is on-board thevehicle 12. For example, monitoring data of live cargo (e.g., livestock,plants, cultures, human organs for donation, etc.) may be periodicallytransferred from the vehicle 12 a to the ground system 10 for deliveringto a predicted location of the vehicle 12 or to another location. Inanother example, environmental conditions of the area of the vehicle 12a in which the cargo is stored (e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.) maybe transmitted.

In an embodiment, the data or information transmitted by the vehicle 12a to the ground based system 10 may include information, data or arequest generated by a passenger, crew member, or end-user who istraveling on-board the vehicle 12. For example, a passenger or end-useron a medical flight may transfer real-time data regarding the status ofa critically injured patient, so that appropriate medical equipment andpersonnel will be ready and waiting when the vehicle 12 arrives at itsdestination point. A crew member may send a request for consumer itemsthat need restocking when the vehicle 12 arrives at a destination point.An executive traveling on a company jet or an administrative assistantat a remote location may send a request for certain physical files orother items to be delivered to the arrival gate of the destination port.

Some types of data that are transferred from the vehicle 12 a to theground based system 10 while the vehicle 12 a is en route may only be aone-time transfer, e.g., a crew request. Some types of data may beperiodically updated along the travel route, such as monitoring data.Data transfers that are initiated by remote users (e.g., at thecomputing device 75) may be performed manually at any time or may bescheduled. For example, a system user may remotely request that theground based system 10 uploads a pertinent software update for aparticular type of device included in each vehicle of the system user'svehicle fleet. The system user may specify that the software update isto be performed the next time each vehicle in the fleet docks at a port,or that the software update is to be performed the next time eachvehicle arrives at a designated port for standard maintenance.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a method 150 of distributing data orinformation to a vehicle. The method 150 may operate in conjunction withthe ground based data distribution system 10 of FIG. 1, in anembodiment, or the method 150 may operate in conjunction with othersystems. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the method 150 may beperformed by the ground based determination engine 85 of FIG. 1. Forclarity, the method 150 is discussed below with reference to FIGS. 1 and2.

At a block 152, information or data corresponding to a vehicle 12 may bereceived at a computing device that is external to and is nottransported by the vehicle 12. For example, the computing device atwhich the information or data is received may be a computing deviceincluded in an access network 62 a-62 c, a computing device included ina port network 68 a-68 c, the computing device 80, another computingdevice included in the ground based system 10, or a remote computingdevice 75 in communicative connection with the ground based system 10.In an embodiment, the information or data may be received at thecomputing device via a wireless communication channel.

The information or data may be received while the vehicle 12 is en routebetween an origination point and a destination point, or the informationor data may be received while the vehicle 12 is stationed at or movingabout a port but is not otherwise progressing along a travel route. Atleast a portion of the received information or data may have beentransmitted by the vehicle 12, and/or at least a portion of the receivedinformation or data may have been transmitted by another computingdevice that is external to and not transported by the vehicle 12, e.g.,a remote computing device 75 accessing the ground system 10 via a webportal or another computing device included in or in communicativeconnection with the ground based system 10.

In embodiments where at least a portion of the received information ordata is transmitted by the vehicle 12, the information or data may bereceived (block 152) using a wireless communication channel. Thewireless communication channel may correspond to a selected bearer of aplurality of bearers. The plurality of bearers may be of different typesand may correspond to a plurality of interfaces that are included in anon-board data distribution device 110 of the vehicle 12, in anembodiment. The on-board data distribution device 110 may select thebearer over which the information or data is transmitted from thevehicle 12, in an embodiment.

At a block 155, one or more locations at which the vehicle 12 ispredicted to arrive or traverse may be determined, e.g., one or morepredicted locations. In an embodiment, the ground based system 10 maydetermine the one or more predicted locations. For example, the groundbased determination engine 85 included in the ground based system 10 maydetermine the one or more predicted locations. In some embodiments, theone or more predicted locations may include a port at which the vehicle12 is predicted to arrive, e.g., a predicted destination port. Thepredicted destination port may be one of a plurality of ports at whichvehicles may arrive and from which vehicles may depart, for example. Insome embodiments, the one or more predicted locations may correspond tolocations of access networks 62 a-62 c with which the vehicle 12 ispredicted to be in communicative connection whilst the vehicle 12travels along a route. In an embodiment, the one or more predictedlocations may be determined by the ground based system 10. For example,the ground based determination engine 85 included in the ground basedsystem 10 may determine the one or more predicted locations.

In some embodiments, the one or more predicted locations may bedetermined (block 155) by the computing device at which the informationor data was received (block 152), and in some embodiments, the one ormore predicted locations may be determined (block 155) by anothercomputing device in communicative connection with the computing deviceat which the information or data was received (block 152). The one ormore predicted locations may be determined (block 155) while the vehicle12 is en route between an origination point and a destination point, orthe one or more predicted locations may be determined (block 155) whilethe vehicle 12 is stationed at or moving about a port but is otherwisenot progressing along a travel route.

In an embodiment, the one or more predicted locations may be determined(block 155) based on the information or data that was received (block152). The one or more predicted locations may be determined (block 155)additionally or alternatively based on other information or data that isaccessible using the network 55 of the ground based system 10. In someembodiments, the one or more predicted locations may be determined basedboth on the information or data that was received (block 152), and onthe other information or data that is accessible via the network 55 ofthe ground based system 10. For example, a predicted destination of anaircraft 12 a may be determined based on an original flight plan storedat the data storage device 78 or at another data storage device that isotherwise accessible to the network 55, and the predicted destination ofan aircraft 12 a may be determined also based on monitored, updatedflight information received from the aircraft 12 a while the aircraft 12a is in flight.

In some embodiments of the block 155, a predicted time of arrival at apredicted location may also be determined. For example, the predictedarrival time may be determined based on the information or data that wasreceived (block 152), on other information or data that is accessibleusing the network 55 of the ground based system 10, or a combination ofthe two.

At an optional block 158, a content of the data or information that isto be delivered to the one or more predicted locations may bedetermined. The content of the data that is to be delivered or routedmay be based on the received information (block 152), in an embodiment.For example, the received information may be a request for updatedcharts for a subsequent leg of the vehicle's route, or the receivedinformation may be a request for some other types of information. In anembodiment, at least some of the contents of the received information(block 152) itself may be routed. For example, the received informationmay include an image of an injury of a patient that is being transportedby the vehicle, and the determination may be made (block 158) that theimage is to be delivered to a computing device at the destination portso that medical personnel who are meeting the vehicle may prepare forthe patient's arrival. At least portions of the block 158 may beperformed by the computing device at which the information or data wasreceived (block 152), and/or by the computing device at which the one ormore predicted locations were determined (block 155). In an embodiment,the ground based determination engine 85 of the ground based system 10may determine at least a portion of content of the data to be routed tothe one or more predicted locations.

At a block 160, the determined data or information may be caused to berouted to the one or more predicted locations. In an embodiment, theground based system 10 may cause the determined data or information tobe routed. For example, the ground based determination engine 85 of theground based system 10 may cause the determined information to be routedto the one or more predicted locations via the network 55. In anembodiment, the determined data or information may be routed to the oneor more predicted locations before the vehicle 12 has arrived or hastraversed the one or more predicted locations.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a method 170 of distributing data orinformation to a vehicle. The method 170 may operate in conjunction withthe ground based data distribution system 10 of FIG. 1, in anembodiment, or the method 170 may operate in conjunction with othersystems. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the method 170 may beperformed by the ground based determination engine 85 of FIG. 1. In anembodiment, the method 170 may operate in conjunction with the method150 of FIG. 3. For clarity, the method 170 is discussed below withreference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

At a block 172, information or data corresponding to a vehicle 12 may bereceived at a location at which a vehicle has been predicted to arriveor at which the vehicle 12 has been predicted to traverse whilst enroute, e.g., a predicted location. In an embodiment, the predictedlocation may be a port at which the vehicle is predicted to arrive,i.e., a predicted destination port. The predicted destination port maybe one of a plurality of ports at which vehicles may arrive and fromwhich vehicles may depart, for example. In another embodiment, thepredicted location may correspond to a location of an access network 62a-62 c with which the vehicle 12 is predicted to be in communicativeconnection whilst the vehicle 12 travels along a route. In anembodiment, the predicted location may have been determined by theground based system 10. For example, the ground based determinationengine 85 included in the ground based system 10 may have determined thepredicted location.

Alternatively or additionally, the content of the received informationor data (block 172) may have been determined by the ground based system10. For example, the ground based determination engine 85 included inthe ground based system 10 may have determined at least a portion of thecontent of the information or data received at the predicted location(block 172).

The information or data may be received (block 172) at a computingdevice that corresponds to the predicted location, and that is externalto and is not being transported by the vehicle 12. For example, thecomputing device at which the information or data is received may be acomputing device included in a port network 68 a-68 c or in an accessnetwork 62 a-62 c. In an embodiment, the information or data is received(block 172) at the computing device via the network 55 of the groundbased system 10.

The information or data may be received at the predicted location (block172) while the vehicle 12 is en route between an origination and adestination, e.g., the vehicle 12 is progressing along a travel routebut has not yet arrived at the predicted location. At least some of theinformation or data received at the predicted location (block 172) mayinclude data that was generated and transmitted by the vehicle 12 duringits progression along its travel route, and/or at least some of theinformation or data received at the predicted location (block 172) mayinclude data that was transmitted by another computing device that isexternal to and is not being transported by the vehicle 12, e.g., via aweb portal or other computing device in communicative connection withthe ground based system 10. In an embodiment, the information or datareceived at the predicted location (block 172) may have been transmittedby a computing device included in the ground based system 10 (e.g., thecomputing device 80, a computing device corresponding to one of thenetworks 58 a-58 b, 62 a-62 c, or another computing device included inthe ground based system 10). In an embodiment, the information or datareceived at the predicted location (block 172) may have been transmittedby another computing device that is communicatively connected to thenetwork 55.

At a block 175, the received information or data may be caused to betransmitted to the vehicle 12. In an embodiment, the computing device atwhich the information or data was received (block 172) may cause thereceived information or data to be transmitted to the vehicle 12. Forexample, a computing device corresponding to one of the networks 58 a-58c or 62 a-62 c may cause the received information or data to betransmitted to the vehicle 12. The received information or data may becaused to be transmitted to the vehicle 12 while the vehicle 12 istraveling en route, or while the vehicle 12 has arrived at a port and isparked, stationed or moving about the port.

In an embodiment, the received information or data may be transmitted tothe vehicle 12 using a wireless communication channel. The wirelesscommunication channel may correspond to a selected bearer of a pluralityof bearers, where the plurality of bearers are of different types andcorrespond to a plurality of interfaces that are included in on-boarddata distribution device 110 of the vehicle 12, in an embodiment. Theon-board data distribution device 110 may select the bearer over whichthe information or data is to be transmitted to the vehicle 12, in anembodiment. In an embodiment, the information or data may be transmittedor delivered to the vehicle 12 using the techniques described inaforementioned co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/675,200entitled “VEHICLE DATA DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND METHOD.”

In an embodiment, the on-board data distribution device 110 and thecomputing device that causes the received information or data to betransmitted to the vehicle 12 may be in a publisher/subscriberrelationship. For example, one of the on-board data distribution device110 and the computing device may discover the other one, and mayinitiate authentication procedures. Upon successful authentication, theon-board data distribution device 110 and the computing device may forma publisher/subscriber relationship so that the received information ordata (block 172) may be transmitted to the vehicle 12 (block 175). In anembodiment, the publisher/subscriber relationship may be establishedusing a protocol such as the messaging protocol described inaforementioned co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/675,194entitled “PUBLISHER AND SUBSCRIBER MESSAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD”.

The systems, methods and techniques described herein allow for data tobe routed to a predicted location at a predicted time for just-in-timedata delivery to a vehicle 12. For example, the ground based datadistribution system 10 may store and forward data that is to be loadedonto a vehicle 12, thus minimizing the time to transfer data to thevehicle 12, and therefore minimizing the time that the vehicle 12 isstopped at the port. Indeed, in some applications, the ground basedsystem 10 may allow for real-time transfer of critical data whilst thevehicle 12 is en route. Users who are on-board the vehicle 12 and userswho are not on-board the vehicle 12 may request or specify the data thatis to be routed.

Although the foregoing text sets forth a detailed description ofnumerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the scopeof the patent is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the endof this patent. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplaryonly and does not describe every possible embodiment because describingevery possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible.Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using eithercurrent technology or technology developed after the filing date of thispatent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims and allequivalents thereof. By way of example, and not limitation, thedisclosure herein contemplates at least the following aspects:

1. An information distribution system for distributing information to avehicle, comprising: a plurality of computing devices in communicativeconnection, where at least a first subset of the plurality of computingdevices have connections to wireless communication channels forcommunicating with an on-board data distribution device fixedlyconnected to the vehicle. Additionally, at least a second subset of theplurality of the computing devices corresponds to respective ports fromwhich vehicles depart and at which vehicles arrive. The informationdistribution system further comprises a first computing device of the atleast the first subset of the plurality of computing devices that isconfigured to receive, via a respective connection to a respectivewireless communication channel, information from the vehicle, and thatis configured to cause data to be routed to a second computing device ofthe plurality of computing devices, the another computing devicecorresponding to a destination port at which the vehicle is to arrive,and at least one of the data to be routed or the second computing devicedetermined based on the information received from the vehicle.

2. The information distribution system of the previous aspect, whereinthe destination port is a predicted destination port at which thevehicle is predicted to arrive.

3. The information distribution system of any of the preceding aspects,wherein the first computing device is further configured to cause thedata to be routed to more than one computing device included in thesecond subset of the plurality of computing devices.

4. The information distribution system of any of the preceding aspects,wherein the destination port of the vehicle is determined by at leastone of the first computing device or another computing device includedin the plurality of computing devices after the vehicle has departed anorigination location and before the vehicle has completed a travelroute.

5. The information distribution system of any of the preceding aspects,wherein at least one of: the information is received from the vehicle atthe first computing device after the vehicle has left an originationport and before the vehicle has arrived at the destination port; or thedata is received at the another computing device prior to the vehiclehas arrived at the destination port.

6. The information distribution system of any of the preceding aspects,wherein the vehicle is an airborne vehicle, a water-borne vehicle, or aland-borne vehicle.

7. The information distribution system of any of the preceding aspects,wherein the information received from the vehicle corresponds to atleast one of: equipment fixedly connected to the vehicle; cargo aboardthe vehicle; a travel route of the vehicle; a request generated by aleast one of a passenger aboard the vehicle, a crew member aboard thevehicle, or a remote user of the information distribution system; orinformation generated by a least one of the passenger, the crew member,or the remote user.

8. The information distribution system of any of the preceding aspects,wherein the data to be routed to the another computing devicecorresponds to at least one of: vehicle location monitoring, vehiclesystem monitoring, vehicle navigation, vehicle operation, vehiclesafety, media content, entertainment content, data generated by anend-user of the information distribution system, data generated by anadministrator of the information distribution system, a requestgenerated by the end-user, or a request generated by the administrator.

9. The information distribution system of any of the preceding aspects,wherein at least a portion of the plurality of computing devices areincluded in one or more networks.

10. The information distribution system of any of the preceding aspects,wherein the one or more networks includes a private network.

11. The information distribution system of any of the preceding aspects,wherein the second computing device is configured to receive the routeddata, and cause, after the vehicle has arrived at the destination port,the routed data to be transferred to the vehicle using a respectivewireless communication channel.

12. The information distribution system of any of the preceding aspects,wherein the second computing device and the on-board data distributiondevice are authenticated as a publisher and a subscriber to transfer therouted data.

13. The information distribution system of any of the preceding aspects,wherein the wireless communication channel corresponds to a particularbearer of a plurality of bearers having different types, and wherein theon-board data distribution device includes a plurality of interfacesthat correspond to the plurality of bearers and that are fixedlyconnected to the vehicle.

14. A method of distributing information to a vehicle, comprising:receiving, at a first computing device, information corresponding to thevehicle while the vehicle is en route between an origination point and adestination point. The method also comprises determining, by the firstcomputing device or by a second computing device communicativelyconnected to the first computing device, a destination port at which thevehicle is predicted to arrive, where the destination port is includedin a plurality of ports at which vehicles arrive and from which vehiclesdepart. Additionally, the method comprises causing, by the firstcomputing device, data to be routed to a third computing devicecommunicatively connected to the first computing device, the thirdcomputing device corresponding to the destination port and at least oneof the data or the third computing device determined based on theinformation received at the first computing device. In some embodiments,at least a portion of the method of distributing information to avehicle may be performed by the information distribution system of anyof the preceding aspects.

15. The method of the preceding aspect, wherein determining thedestination port of the vehicle comprises predicting the destinationport of the vehicle after the vehicle has departed the originationpoint.

16. The method of any of the preceding aspects, wherein causing the datato be routed to the third computing device corresponding to thedestination port comprises causing the data to be routed to each of aplurality of computing devices respectively corresponding to each ofmore than one port of the plurality of ports, the plurality of computingdevices including the third computing device.

17. The method of any of the preceding aspects, wherein receiving theinformation corresponding to the vehicle comprises at least one of:receiving information transmitted from the vehicle using a wirelesscommunication channel, or receiving information corresponding to thevehicle from a computing device that is not being transported by thevehicle.

18. The method of any of the preceding aspects, wherein receiving theinformation transmitted from the vehicle comprises receiving theinformation transmitted from the vehicle using a particular bearer of aplurality of bearers, the particular bearer including the wirelesscommunication channel, the plurality of bearers being of different typesand corresponding to a plurality of interfaces included in an on-boarddata distribution device fixedly connected to the vehicle, and theplurality of interfaces for transmitting the information from thevehicle.

19. The method of any of the preceding aspects, wherein receiving theinformation corresponding to the vehicle comprises receiving theinformation corresponding to an aircraft.

20. The method of any of the preceding aspects, wherein receiving theinformation corresponding to the vehicle comprises receiving informationcorresponding to at least one of: equipment fixedly connected to thevehicle; cargo aboard the vehicle; a travel route of the vehicle; arequest generated by a least one of a passenger aboard the vehicle, acrew member aboard the vehicle, or a remote user of the informationdistribution system; or information generated by a least one of thepassenger, the crew member, or the remote user.

21. The method of any of the preceding aspects, wherein causing the datato be routed comprises causing data, including at least one of: vehiclelocation monitoring, vehicle system monitoring, vehicle navigation,vehicle operation, vehicle safety, media content, entertainment content,data generated by an end-user of the information distribution system,data generated by an administrator of the information distributionsystem, a request generated by the end-user, or a request generated bythe administrator, to be routed.

22. The method of any of the preceding aspects, wherein causing the datato be routed to the third computing device comprises causing the data tobe routed to the third computing device using a private network.

23. A method of distributing information to a vehicle, comprisingreceiving data at a first computing device from a second computingdevice in communicative connection over a private network with the firstcomputing device, where the first computing device corresponds to adestination port of the vehicle, the destination port is included in aplurality of ports at which vehicles arrive and from which vehiclesdepart, and at least one of the data or the destination port determinedis based on information received at the second computing device whilethe vehicle is en route between an origination point and a destinationpoint. The method further comprises transmitting, by the first computingdevice using a wireless communication channel, the received data to anon-board data distribution device fixedly connected to the vehicle afterthe vehicle has arrived at the destination port. In some embodiments, atleast portions of the method are performed by the informationdistribution system of any of the preceding aspects. In someembodiments, the method is performed in conjunction with the method ofany of the preceding aspects.

24. The method of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the wirelesscommunication channel is included in a particular bearer of a pluralityof bearers, the plurality of bearers are of different types andcorrespond to a plurality of interfaces for transferring information tothe vehicle, and the plurality of interfaces are included in theon-board data distribution device.

25. The method of any of the preceding aspects, further comprisingauthenticating, using the wireless communication channel, the firstcomputing device and the on-board data distribution device.

26. The method of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the vehicle isan airborne vehicle, a water-borne vehicle or a land-borne vehicle.

27. The method of any of the preceding aspects, wherein receiving thedata corresponds to receiving data corresponding to at least one of:vehicle location monitoring, vehicle system monitoring, vehiclenavigation, vehicle operation, vehicle safety, media content,entertainment content, data generated by an end-user of the informationdistribution system, data generated by an administrator of theinformation distribution system, a request generated by the end-user, ora request generated by the administrator.

28. The method of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the informationreceived at the second computing device comprises at least one of:equipment fixedly connected to the vehicle; cargo aboard the vehicle; atravel route of the vehicle; a request generated by a least one of apassenger aboard the vehicle, a crew member aboard the vehicle, or aremote user of the information distribution system; or informationgenerated by a least one of the passenger, the crew member, or theremote user.

Thus, many modifications and variations may be made in the techniquesand structures described and illustrated herein without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the present claims. Accordingly, it should beunderstood that the methods and apparatus described herein areillustrative only and are not limiting upon the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information distribution system fordistributing information to a vehicle, comprising: a plurality ofcomputing devices in communicative connection, at least a first subsetof the plurality of computing devices having connections to wirelesscommunication channels for communicating with an on-board datadistribution device fixedly connected to the vehicle, and at a secondsubset of the plurality of the computing devices corresponding torespective ports from which vehicles depart and at which vehiclesarrive; and a first computing device of the at least the first subset ofthe plurality of computing devices configured to: receive, via arespective connection to a respective wireless communication channel,information from the vehicle at the first computing device after thevehicle has left an origination port and before the vehicle has arrivedat a destination port at which the vehicle is to arrive, and cause datato be routed to a second computing device of the second subset of theplurality of computing devices, the second computing devicecorresponding to the destination port, and at least one of the data tobe routed or the second computing device determined based on theinformation received from the vehicle.
 2. The information distributionsystem of claim 1, wherein the destination port is a predicteddestination port at which the vehicle is predicted to arrive.
 3. Theinformation distribution system of claim 1, wherein the first computingdevice is further configured to cause the data to be routed to more thanone computing device included in the second subset of the plurality ofcomputing devices.
 4. The information distribution system of claim 1,wherein the destination port of the vehicle is determined by at leastone of the first computing device or another computing device includedin the plurality of computing devices after the vehicle has departed anorigination location and before the vehicle has completed a travelroute.
 5. The information distribution system of claim 1, wherein thevehicle is an airborne vehicle, a water-borne vehicle, or a land-bornevehicle.
 6. The information distribution system of claim 1, wherein theinformation received from the vehicle corresponds to at least one of:equipment fixedly connected to the vehicle; cargo aboard the vehicle; atravel route of the vehicle; a request generated by a least one of apassenger aboard the vehicle, a crew member aboard the vehicle, or aremote user of the information distribution system; or informationgenerated by a least one of the passenger, the crew member, or theremote user.
 7. The information distribution system of claim 1, whereinthe data to be routed to the second computing device corresponds to atleast one of: vehicle location monitoring, vehicle system monitoring,vehicle navigation, vehicle operation, vehicle safety, media content,entertainment content, data generated by an end-user of the informationdistribution system, data generated by an administrator of theinformation distribution system, a request generated by the end-user, ora request generated by the administrator.
 8. The informationdistribution system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of theplurality of computing devices are included in one or more networks. 9.The information distribution system of claim 8, wherein the one or morenetworks includes a private network.
 10. The information distributionsystem of claim 1, wherein the second computing device is configured to:receive the routed data; and cause, after the vehicle has arrived at thedestination port, the routed data to be transferred to the vehicle usinga respective wireless communication channel.
 11. The informationdistribution system of claim 10, wherein the second computing device andthe on-board data distribution device are authenticated as a publisherand a subscriber to transfer the routed data.
 12. The informationdistribution system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communicationchannel corresponds to a particular bearer of a plurality of bearershaving different types, and wherein the on-board data distributiondevice includes a plurality of interfaces that correspond to theplurality of bearers and that are fixedly connected to the vehicle.